Ichjttioit-system



June 1], 1929. VMALLORY 1,716,895

IGNITION SYSTEM iled Feb. 6, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 11, 1929. MALLORY 1,716,895

IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 6, 1928' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III II I II I mic device operates Patented June 11, 1929.

- UNITED STA MARION mLonY, or TOLEDO, OHIO.

IGNITION'ZSYSTEM.

Application filed February 6,1828. Serial No. 252,414.

My invention has for its object to provide a means whereby the resistance of the primary circuit of an ignition system will be varied according to two changeable factors said circuit.

ary circuit, one 0t f current that flows f the induction coil ther is the length of d current flows in Thus, by'my invention, I have provided a means for reducing the quantity of current through the primary of the induction coil of the lgnition system as the system rises in more efiicient in the performanc tions. When the engine,

. which the system is used, becomes tempera ture and becomes e of its tunein connection with warmed up, the quantity of current required for the etlicient operation may be considerably reduced. To control the variation and give opportunity for the appara efiiciently to such provides a means tus to respond variation, my invention for delaying such change until the ignition system'and the engine are in condition to operate efiiciently un changed condition.

er such Thus the invention provides a resistance that is located 'in series with the primary coil of an ignition syst em and a thermic means that is heated by the flow of current in the primary circuit and is s with the resistance as flow through the mic device. If large and is maintaine the resistance of primary co the curren 0 connected to reduce thecurrent il and the thert is relatively d a suflicient period of time to heat the thermic device, the therto cause an increase in. the primary. circuit to reduce, the flow of the current through the coil, and reduce the thermic the temperature actuating device until the flow of the currentand the temperature of the thermic device are substantially average operation of the engine is constant or substantially uniform.

vention, opportunity is operation of the ignition sy stantially the initial con ing of the operation of the has been full opportunity become warmed up and then, as

perature of the thermi constant while the Thus, by my ingiven for continued c device rises,

stem under subditions of the startengine until there for the engine to the temit requires a lapse of time during which there is but a slight increase of resistance in the circuit, and, upon expiration of a period having a length sufficient to assure continued operation of the engine, the resistance in the primary circuit is increased by the movementof the thermic device to a relatively high value at which it is kept until for aperiod of time the engine alters its average speed or condition of operation.

The invention may be contained in systems that vary in their details, and, to illustrate a practical application of the invention, I have selected two or three forms of .devices for controlling the flow of current in the primary coil of an ignition system.

Fig. 1 illustrates one form of construction wherein the resistance of an ignition system may be thermically controlled. Fig. 2 illustrates the connection of the parts of the iystem in which the device illustrated in *ig. 1 is connected. Fig. 3 illustrates another form of construction for thermically controlling the resistance of the primary circuit and of the ignition system. Fig. 4 is a diagram of the'system in-which the device,

.vention. Fig. 9 indicates diagrammatically the connections of the device illustrated in Fig. 7. Fig. 10 indicates diagrammatically the connections of the device illustrated in Fig. 8, with the ignition system.

Inthe form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a flexible bi-metal thermic element 1 may be suitably supported on a base and surrounded by a resistance element 2 for heating the flexible bi-metal thermic element 1, according to the flow of current through the resistance element .2. The bi-metal element 1 may be insulated from the resistance element 2 by an insulating flexible sheath, or sleeve, 7 One end of the bi-metal element 1* may be secured to a suitable base by a bracket 3, while the opposite end of the bi'- 45 tity contact with the consecutive turns of a resistance wire 5, preferably mounted on an arcuate insulating block- 6. The resistance and movable contact forms a rheostat for varying the flow of current. As the bimetal thermic element 1 is heated by the wire 2, the fbi-metal element 1 is'bowed in a di-. rection opposite to its normal or cold position, according to the quantity of heat that is transmitted from the resistance element 2 to the bimetal element 1. Thus, as the flow of the current through the resistance.

element 2 is increased, and after the expiratlon of suflicient time to permit the transmission of the heat from the resistance element 1 to the bi-metal thermic element 1,

thebi-m'etal thermic element 1 will bow so as to vary the amount of resistance in the circuit of the primary coil. 1

The resistance 5 is connected in series with the primary coil 10 of'the induction coil 11.

. The-"circuit of the primary coil 10' is opened and closed by-means of the circuit closer 12, which is operated by the cam 13 cated on the cam shaft 14 of the engine,

that is 10- that is controlled by the ignition system in the manner well known in the art. The battery 15may be connected to the circuit closer 12 and the circuit is completed through the ground to the resistance element 2 of the thermic device. During the continued operations of the circuit closer 12, the quantity of the current will vary according to the length closed and the rate of the opening and closing of the circuit, which will vary the rate of flow or the quantity of current through the primary circuit, and, to reduce this uanafter it has been allowed to flow desired period of time, the thermic device 1 becomes heated and the amount of current through the primary circuit is cut down by movement of the contact 4 over the resistance 5,

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the thermic element is formed of a pair ofsinuous members that are sharply' curved and the joint-operations of the sharply curved portions operate to extend the length of the sinuous thermic member. As shown in Fig. 4, the sinuous thermic element 20 is supported on a bracket 21 and is surrounded by a heat insulating sleeve'22. A resistance wire 23 is-;l0cated within the sleeve '22 and is connected'at one 'end to a suitable binding post 24 "and at the other end-to a contact 25 located in'contacfi with the arm 26. The arm26 is pivotally sup- Ythe quantity of current that the mechanical bellows 35 of periods in which the circuit is' oraported by a suitable means and has a contact 27 located at its outer end. The contact27 is located in position to make contact with 4 the turns of the resistance wire 28 that may circuit of the system illus-- but also the circuit closer 12 and thebattery 15. Thus, as the flow of current increases, an opportunity is given for the heatingot the thermic element 20, the resistance of the circuit is increased which operates to reduce passes through the primary coil 10.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 5', a mechanical bellows 35 is provided with a pair of binding posts 36 and .37 located, respectively, in the upper and lower heads of the mechanical bellows 35, and a heat coil within the mechanical bellows- 38 is located v 35 and is connected to the binding posts 36v and 37 The interior of the mechanical bellows 35 may be filled with a suitable gas,

or vapor, which will'cause the expansion of upon a slight variation of the heat of the coil 38. The construction shown in Fig.5 will thus produce a more prompt response to the change in temperature that may be created by the heat element 38 of the system. One end, or head, of the mechanical bellows 35 is fixedly supported While the other end of the mechanical bellows 35 is connected by a suitable stirrup, such as the stirrup 39, to an arm 40 that may be pivotally secured to a fixed support. The arm 40 terminates in the contact 41 which is adapted to make contact with the turns of the resistance wire 42 that may be located on the arcuate insulating block 43. Consequently,- as the mechanical bellows 35 is extended, by the rise of the vvlth .the' circuit closer 12. Thus, after the flow of current has been maintained, a certain period of time,the mechanical bellows 35 will respond to the change of temperature, produced by the heat coil 38, and increase the length or the number of turns of the afi'ected by the current that flows through the resistance wire 42, which is located intermediate the :contact 41 and the point of connection of the resistance wire 42 with the primary coil 10, and thereby the flow of current through the primary coil 10 will be reduced.

In the form of construction shown in ,Fig. 7, the bi-metal thermic element 45 is located in a sleeve or capsule 46 of insulating material. The thermic element may be supported on a bracket 47 and a heat coil 48 is located on the inside of the sleeve 46. Theto one end of the thermic element 45 and at its central point with the binding post 50 and at its remaining .end to the fixed contact 52. The thermic element is provided with a contact 53 that is adapted to make contact with, and be separated from, the fixed contact 52 by variation of the temperature of the element produced by the heat coil 48.

The device is connected to the system by means of the binding posts 50 and 51. The binding post 50 is connected with the battery 15 and the current from the battery divides and passes through the heat coil 48. A part of the current passes through the thermic element 45 and its movable contact 53 and the other part goes direct to the fixed contact 52. The current then passes through the primary coil 10 of the induction coil to the ground. When the temperature of the thermic element 45 is raised, the contacts 53 and 52 are separated and the current then passes through one-half of the resistance coil 48. Thus the resistance in the circuit, as produced by the resistance coil, is doubled whenthe thermic element separates the contacts 52 and 53 which decreases the current flow through the primary circuit. This occurs upon the expiration of a sufiicient length of time to permit the ignition system to arrive at a substantially perfect operative condition.

In the form of device illustrated in Fig. 8, the thermic element 45 is so connected as to open-a shunt to the resistance coil 55 which is, preferably, located on the outside of the sleeve 46 and so that its temperature will not materially affect the thermic element 45. The thermic device 45 is actuated by a coil 56 that is connected in series with the primary coil of the induction coil of the ignition system. The current through the primary coil 10 at all. times passes throughthe heat coil 56 and, consequently, the thermic element 45 is at all times proportionately primary coil 10.v

The bracket 47, which supports the ther-. mic element 45, is provided with a binding post 57. Also, one end of the coil .55 is connected to the binding post 58 and the other end of the coil 55 is connected to the fixed contact 52. The binding posts 57 and 58 are used for connecting the device in the primary circuit to the ignition system. I

Oneend of the coil 55 and the anchored end of the thermic element 45 are connected to the battery 15 through the binding post 57, while the series coil 56 is connected to the primary coil 10 of the ignition system through the binding post 58. When the engine is operated for a-suflicient period of time to cause the current through the coil 56 to heat the thermic element to a temperature sufiicient to cause it to separate the contacts 52 and 53, the current will then pass through the coil 55 as well as the heat coil hate the resistance of the coil 55 from the circuit and give a greater quantity of current to the primary coil 10 of the ignition system.

I claim:

1. In an ignition system, a primary circuit, a resistance member in the primary circuit and an electric thermic element connected to the primary circuit for varying the resistance according to the amount of current flowing through the primary circuit.

2. In an ignition system, a primary circuit, a heat coil connected in series in the primary circuit, and a thermic element operated by the heat coil, a resistance member, the connection of the resistance member with the primary circuit controlled by the thermic element. 7

3. In an ignition system, a primary circuit, a resistance member, means for shunting the resistance member, an electric thermic element connected to the primary circuit, .for opening and closing the said shunting means for varying the resistance of the thermic circuit according to the amount of through the primary circuit having a rheostat, and a heat coil, a thermic device for operating the rheostat and actuated by the heat of the saidcoil to Vary the resistance in said circuit.

6. In an ignition system, a primary circuit having a rheostat, and a heat coil, a mechanical bellows containing a gas and'the heat coil for operating the rheostat to increase the resistance in said circuit upon increase of the current quantity flowing in 10 said circuit in a given time.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification. MARION MALLORY. 

